The correct answer is the following: option A. The excerpt in the question suggests that Jane has shifted her attention away from Helen. The excerpt belongs to the novel "Jane Eyre" written by English writer Charlotte Bronte. In the excerpt the topic of Helen being sick is touched upon to show how Jane has shifted her attention away from her, as she is not in contact with her while she is in bed rest. The situation is an example of an alleviation which means to make something more bearable, in this case for the character of Jane.